MICHAEL JACKSON: 1958-2009
Fans dance to ‘Thriller’ at Underground
TV intern, who learned routine as a frat boy, shows how it’s done
Friday, June 26, 2009
Zombies invaded Underground Atlanta on Friday night as dozens of Michael Jackson fans danced to “Thriller.”
The makeshift music video attracted more than 200 fans, but less than a quarter actually participated in the dance.
Hyosub Shin/hshin@ajc.com
Sara Hampton (left) of Riverdale and Sandra L. Enos of Atlanta dance at a Michael Jackson memorial party at Kenny’s Alley in Underground Atlanta.
Hyosub Shin/hshin@ajc.com
Natalie Nichols of Atlanta shows Jackson motion at the party, which included a ‘Thriller’ dance tribute.
“My earliest memories were dancing to “Thriller” at the age of 3,” said Jennifer Bhagia-Lewis, 28. “In March I went to India and bought a Michael Jackson CD and we’ve been listening to it ever since.”
Bhagia-Lewis brought her 3-year-old son, Cameron, to Underground Atlanta because she wanted him to have similar memories.
Cameron didn’t know the sidestep and zombie movements associated with “Thriller,” but he still danced. He spun in circles, jumped and swung his arms as a horde of women imitated the dance featured by the King of Pop in the 1983 music video.
WXIA-TV and V-103 organized the dance party, which was featured on the 6 p.m. news, to honor the music star. Jackson died Thursday afternoon after going into cardiac arrest in his Los Angeles home.
WXIA intern Ted Williams of Atlanta taught the crowd some of the basic steps to the dance. The TV station promised professional choreographers to teach the dance, but Williams was the closest they could find at the last minute, he said.
“It’s easy,” Williams said as he instructed the crowd from a stage assembled at Kenny’s Alley. “I’m white and I can do it.”
Williams, 22, said he learned the dance during his freshman year at the University of Alabama as part of his fraternity, Theta Chi. The older frat brothers made the freshmen — who were dressed in black pants and white golf gloves — perform the Jackson dance at different functions.
“Things like this, I try and hide from people,” said Williams, who is now a senior. “I didn’t even tell my parents I was going to be on TV doing this.”
Sandra L. Enos, 49, of Atlanta, was one of only a handful who could perform the entire “Thriller” routine without instruction.
“I watched the video and learned it,” said Enos, who works for AID Atlanta. “I was at home yesterday when I heard [Jackson died]. I had three shots of vodka and said ‘not my Michael.’”
Mya Registre, 29, danced alongside Enos. The Atlanta woman said Jackson’s songs were part of every major memory in her life.
“I learned the old school way before there was YouTube, Facebook and all,” Registre said. “I watched MTV and danced over and over again. That’s what fans do.”
